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Abstract:

Apparatus for producing an object by sequentially forming thin layers of a construction material one on top of the other responsive to data defining the object, the apparatus comprising: a plurality of printing heads each having a surface formed with a plurality of output orifices and controllable to dispense the construction material through each orifice independently of the other orifices; a shuttle to which the printing heads are mounted; a support surface; and a controller adapted to control the shuttle to move back and forth over the support surface and as the shuttle moves to control the printing heads to dispense the construction material through each of their respective orifices responsive to the data to form a first layer on the support surface and thereafter, sequentially the other layers; wherein each printing head is dismountable from the shuttle and replaceable independently of the other printing heads.

Claim:

The invention claimed is:

1. Apparatus for producing an object by sequentially forming thin layers of a material one on top of the other responsive to data defining the object, the apparatuscomprising: at least one printing head having a surface formed with at least one output orifice and controllable to dispense a material in liquid form through the orifice; a wiper; and a controller adapted to control the at least one printing head todispense the material and sequentially form the layers, and to move the at least one printing head over the wiper to clean the surface in which the orifices are formed, wherein the wiper is formed with at least one slot that partitions the wiper into aplurality of teeth each having an edge that contacts an orifice surface of a different one of the plurality of printing heads and scrapes excess material from the surface.

2. Apparatus according to claim 1 wherein the wiper comprises at least one cleaning blade having an edge that scrapes excess material from the surface when the controller controls the surface to move over the wiper.

3. Apparatus according to claim 1 wherein the wiper is formed from a resilient material so that the edge that contacts the surfaces resiliently contacts the surface.

4. Apparatus according to claim 3 wherein the edge is scalloped and has a different scallop corresponding to each printing head of the at least one printing head.

5. Apparatus according to claim 1 wherein the wiper comprises at least two cleaning blades.

6. Apparatus according to claim 5 wherein a cleaning blade of the at least two cleaning blades has an edge that does not contact the orifice surface of a printing head but moves along and in close proximity to the surface when the controllercontrols the surface to move over the wiper.

7. Apparatus according to claim 1 wherein the material in liquid form comprises a photopolymer.

8. Apparatus according to claim 7 and comprising a lamp that provides radiation to polymerize the photopolymer.

9. Apparatus according to claim 1 and comprising an obstacle detection system that detects defects in a layer that protrudes from a surface of the layer.

10. Apparatus according to claim 9 wherein the obstacle detection system comprises: a laser that provides a laser beam that contacts or is located close to the surface of the layer along a length of the laser beam; a detector that receiveslight from the laser beam; and wherein light that the detector receives from the laser is at least partially blocked by a defect that protrudes from the surface.

11. Apparatus according to claim 1, comprising a plurality of printing heads, wherein each of the plurality of printing heads has a surface formed with a plurality of output orifices offset from each other in a first direction by a firstdistance, the plurality of printing heads of the set being placed in order in a second, scan, direction substantially perpendicular to the first direction.

12. Apparatus according to claim 11, wherein the each of the plurality of printing heads that deposits material after a first printing head of the plurality, deposits material along lines between the lines along which material was previouslydeposited by other printer heads of the plurality.

13. Apparatus according to claim 11 comprising a controller adapted to scan the plurality of printing heads with respect to a support surface in the second, scan, direction and to control the plurality of printing heads to dispense theconstruction material through each of their respective orifices responsive to the data, such that each orifice dispenses material along a line separated by the first distance from the line along which a neighboring orifice in a same head dispenses itsmaterial.

14. Apparatus according to claim 11, wherein each of the plurality of printing heads that deposits material after a first printing head of the plurality, deposits material along lines equidistant from adjacent lines along which material waspreviously deposited by other printer heads of the plurality.

15. Apparatus according to claim 14, wherein orifices in a second printing head are offset from those in a first printing head, in the first direction, by one half the first distance, such that they dispense the construction material alonglines substantially equidistant from lines along which material is dispensed by the first printing head; and wherein the orifices in a third and fourth printing head are so positioned that they dispense material along the lines equidistant from adjacentlines along which material is dispensed by the first and second heads.